Currently, final drives for belted machines typically include a final drive sprocket mounted between the hubs of a bifurcated drive wheel assembly, or a final drive sprocket, output gear of a planetary gear set, or the like, mounted externally on one side of a drive wheel hub, for connection in driven communication with the machine power source. A resultant shortcoming of the known final drives is that no further gear reduction capability is present between the drive wheel assembly and the drive sprocket, output gear or other drive member. An additional shortcoming of known final drives of the latter type is the observation that the structures supporting the drives are subject to high torsional loading.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.